2012 PBA Governor’s Cup Roundup: June 6-10, 2012

Marqus Blakely continues to play solid basketball
for the B-Meg Llamados.

B-MEG LLAMADOS over MERALCO BOLTS, 88-83

B-Meg coach Tim Cone was happy with the way his team salvaged a tough 88-83 win over the Meralco Bolts.

But he couldn’t hide his disappointment over the way his team performed Wednesday night at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Marc Pingris completed a double-double performance, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds. He came through with big plays down the stretch, including making five of six free throws in the final 1:23 of the game.

Pingris scored his team’s last seven points that helped B-MEG stave off a resilient Bolts squad that couldn’t get anything going from import Champ Oguchi.

Oguchi finished with only 12 points and missed all his 10 attempts from beyond the arc in what was expected to be his last game for the Bolts. The Bolts were carried by Mac Cardona’s 27 points.

Playing out-of-sync in the previous game and held to just two points, Cardona struck back against B-MEG, hitting 12-of-20 from the field. He scored his team’s last seven points, including a game-tying three-pointer that tied the game at 81-all with 3:24 remaining.

With Cardona torching the Llamados, Cone decided to switch Marqus Blakely onto the Meralco hotshot, and the do-it-all import shut him down in the end.

Blakely finished with 31 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals in another brilliant all-around performance.

Paul Lee drilled a cold-blooded three-pointer with 2.6 seconds to win the game for Rain or Shine, 93-90, over Barangay Ginebra Wednesday night in the PBA Governors Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Lee’s heroics lifted the Elasto Painters to their fourth straight win, allowing them to post their best start in franchise history.

Lee, the second overall rookie pick this season, presided over his team’s final offensive thrust, a few moments after turning the ball over in one important play for the Elasto Painters.

The final play was intended for Rain or Shine import Jamelle Cornley, who wasn’t able to get the ball because of tight defense by Ginebra’s Willie Wilson. That left Lee isolated against Rudy Hatfield.

The former UE guard made his move and let loose a jumper from right quartercourt over the outstretched arms of the veteran forward.

After Lee’s three-pointer, Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen sued for time. The play was intended for Mark Caguioa coming off a screen and receiving the ball at the corner. But Caguioa couldn’t get open, and Ginebra instead went to import Cedric Bozeman, whose three-pointer barely hit the rim as Gabe Norwood secured the rebound and preserved the win for Rain or Shine.

Cornley finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds to lead the way for the Elasto Painters.

After arriving straight from Los Angeles, he joined Barako Bull practice, proceeded to the Games and Amusements Board office for his pro license, before going to the PBA office for height measurements.

Hickerson had enough energy left in the afternoon to lead Barako Bull to a 111-107 comeback victory over Petron Blaze at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum. He finished with 32 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists to carry the Energy to their second win in four matches.

Hickerson made several big plays down the stretch. He fed Ronald Tubid on a breakaway layup that put Barako Bull in the lead for the first time, 109-107, with 33.8 seconds to go.

In the next play, Hickerson showed his defensive prowess. He blocked Eddie Basden’s strong drive, which set up Willie Miller for two charities.

Hickerson, who saw action for the franchise when it still carried the Air 21 brand in 2010, then ensured Barako Bull’s win with his split charities with only four-tenths of a second left.

To think Barako Bull was preparing for the possibility of playing without Hickerson.

But there were stretches were Hickerson let the locals took center stage. The mindset of the locals about possibly going all-Filipino got them ready.

Doug Kramer had a double-double performance, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds in what was easily his most productive game in a Barako Bull uniform.

Ronald Tubid also had 17 points, including the go-ahead basket off a feed from Hickerson that gave the Energy their first taste of the lead, 109-107, 33.8 seconds left in regulation.

Miller contributed 16 points, including a game-tying lay up that made up for his early miscue, 58 seconds left in the game.

Jay Washington's 23-point output went down the
drain against the Energy.

Willie Miller scored 16 markers to help the Energy win
over the Boosters.

LeRoy Hickerson bucked jetlag to get past
Arwind Santos and Petron.

B-MEG LLAMADOS over AIR21 EXPRESS, 91-78

Marqus Blakely and the B-MEG Llamados brought their energetic game to Digos City, Davao del Sur.

The do-it-all import had another solid all-round game, triggering the Llamados’ onslaught in the second half en route to a 91-78 win over the Air 21 Express in the PBA Governors’ Cup road game on Saturday.

Blakely finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and four blocks aside from displaying energy on both ends of the court for the Llamados, who won their fourth straight game to grab a share of the lead with idle Rain or Shine Elasto Painters with a 4-1 win-loss record.

Air21 suffered its third loss in four matches, dropping into a four-way tie for seventh to 10th places with the Meralco Bolts, Alaska Aces, and Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters.

Josh Urbiztondo and James Yap contributed 17 and 16 points, respectively while Rafi Reavis came off the bench to finish with 10 for B-MEG, which trailed 47-44 at the half before making a quick second half turnaround behind their lockdown defense.

The Llamados’ D worked double time as none of the Air 21 locals scored in double figures.

Import Zach Graham carried the fight for the Express with 39 points, but appeared to get tired during the crucial stretch of the game, allowing the Llamados to break the game wide open.

Blakely’s tomahawk dunk off a feed by Mark Barroca gave the Llamados an 81-66 lead with still 6:01 left.

Gary David matched the longest streak of games with at least 20 points to help Powerade Tigers defeat the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, who were the only unbeaten team in the Governors’ Cup.

On Friday, David reaffirmed his role as the Tigers’ go-to-guy, finishing with 30 points and powering his team to a 104-98 triumph at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

With a personal record at stake and his team hoping to extend their winning streak, David presided on offense during the most crucial stretch of the match.

He had 11 fourth-quarter points, including the record-tying baskets at the 9:06 mark coming off two free throws to match Danny Seigle’s string of 19 straight games with at least 20 points.

But the most telling blows from David came in the final two minutes of the game. He had six straight points, including a tough jumper with 1:55 to go that put Powerade on top, 98-92.

The Tigers got crucial baskets as well from Lordy Tugade and import Omar Sneed in their last two offensive thrusts. Tugade had a tip-in off Sneed’s missed three-pointer, which put the Tigers ahead by six, 102-96.

After Jamelle Cornley made a nifty spin move that shoved the Elasto Painters to within four, Sneed pierced Rain or Shine’s defense and scored on a drive to put the final nail on the coffin for their rivals, who lost for the first time in five matches.

Sneed, a former MVP in the Israeli league, had 24 points and 20 rebounds. Powerade has not lost in three games since he took the spot of NBA veteran Rashad McCants.

Overall, the Tigers their win-loss record improved to 3-2, putting them in solid position for a playoff berth.

During crunch time, Perasol admitted he had seconds thoughts about getting the ball to David.

Gary David flashes his trademark shooting form
as the Tigers win their third game in five outings.

MERALCO BOLTS over ALASKA ACES, 100-95

Mario West was held scoreless in the final quarter, but locals stepped up big for Meralco to hold on for an important 100-95 victory over Alaska in the PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

After exploding for 33 points in the first three quarters, the ex-NBA veteran was blanked by the Aces defense in the last period but Asi Taulava picked up the cudgels for the Bolts, which ended a two-game slide for a 2-3 win-loss mark.

Taulava finished with 23 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds to preserve the heroics of the debuting West.

It was West’s sizzling start that gave Meralco control of the game. The ex-Atlanta Hawk had 22 points in the first half, when the Bolts carried a 55-50 halftime lead.

He poured in 11 more in the third quarter to extend their lead to 82-75 entering the fourth. Jay-R Reyes’s tip-in gave the Bolts an 87-77 spread with 10:19 remaining.

But the Aces kept coming back and Tenorio’s reverse lay-up pushed them within three points, 96-93, with 1:22 left in the game.

Taulava hit two free throws in the ensuing play, while Jason Forte countered with a jumper. Taulava disrupted an Alaska play when he almost stole a bounce pass of Tenorio for Sonny Thoss inside the paint.

The Aces managed to keep the possession but Tenorio’s game-tying three-point attempt missed the mark. Meralco’s Reynel Hugnatan sealed the win with a pair of free throws.

Forte led Alaska with 24 points while Bonbon Custodio and Tenorio each had 11 for coach Luigi Trillo, who absorbed his third straight loss to go down deeper in the standings with a 1-4 slate.

Cyrus Baguio struggle for his 10 points as
Alaska fell to the bottom of the standings.

Asi Taulava turned back the clock to record
a conference-high 23 points.

BGY. GINEBRA KINGS over PETRON BLAZE BOOSTERS, 83-80

Mark Caguioa provided the needed spark for Barangay Ginebra as he anchored a scorching rally and led his team to an 83-80 come-from-behind win over Petron Blaze Sunday in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Caguioa scattered 12 of his team-high 19 points in the final six minutes as he restored order to the Kings’ gloomy offense and helped his squad snap a two-game skid for a 3-2 mark.

Staring a 73-66 deficit, the Ginebra spitfire was inserted back in the game after shooting horribly in the first three quarters, and he did not let his team down.

Caguioa hit a jumper and a three-pointer to ignite a 13-0 blast that allowed Ginebra to reclaim the lead at 79-73 with 51.7 seconds remaining.

Petron import Eddie Basden ended the drought with a lay-up. After Caguioa split his free throws, Basden scored anew in the next play to make it 80-77 with 32.1 seconds left.

Caguioa was sent to the 15-foot line by Alex Cabagnot and calmly sank both charities. But Cabagnot made the game interesting with a three-pointer that cut the lead, 82-80, with 21.5 seconds left in the game.

Kerby Raymundo split his own charities off Arwind Santos’ foul, 83-80, giving Petron a shot to send the game into extra time.

But Cabagnot’s final three-point attempt fell short and the Boosters absorbed their second straight loss for a 3-3 win-loss mark.